Kerry Galusha shares ‘special’ Scotties swansong with daughter

Kerry Galusha says this year’s NWT team at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts is a little bit different.

Galusha, who has competed at more than 20 Scotties during her iconic curling career, has said this will be her last before she retires from competitive curling.

She said she waited to retire in order to compete with her 15-year-old daughter, Sydney Galusha, and teammate Ella Skauge, 16, at this year’s women’s curling championship in Thunder Bay.

“It’s pretty special,” Galusha said.

The other members of the team are Megan Koehler and Shona Barbour, who came out of retirement to compete.

“It’s three old gals with two very young girls,” Galusha said. “It’s been interesting, it’s a very different dynamic than what I’m used to but it’s been really fun. I’m a lot more relaxed out there on the ice versus the last four years when I’ve been at the Scotties.”

After their opening 14-8 win against Bayly Scoffin’s Yukon team on Monday, the NWT upset four-time Scotties champion Kerri Einarson’s Manitoba 9-6 on Tuesday. Galusha said she had never previously beaten Einarson’s team, adding that Einarson is a curling idol to her daughter and Skauge.

“We were the big-time underdogs,” she said. “It was a huge win for us.”

The NWT team previously lost against Kaitlyn Lawes’ Manitoba 8-4 on Saturday and Quebec 12-3 on Sunday. They were narrowly bested by Nova Scotia 11-10 on Tuesday evening.

Galusha said the NWT team travelled to the Scotties with the goal of winning a couple of games, which they have already achieved with a few games left.

“We just want to try to keep building and getting better and working on all the things that we’re trying to do,” she said.

“We’re just trying to go out there and keep the games close and hopefully we have a chance to win, but every game we’re learning new things.”

Galusha said she’s thankful for all the support the team has received from the NWT and across Canada, including her younger teammates’ classmates from Yellowknife’s Sir John Franklin High School.

Looking back on Galusha’s Scotties career, there have been plenty of highlights: wins against tough teams and making playoffs and Olympic pre-trials.

“I feel like our team has really put the NWT on the curling map and people have really taken notice that we’re not to be taken lightly,” she said.

While Galusha may be retiring from competitive sport, she’ll still be spending plenty of time at the curling rink coaching junior teams.

“I tell them keep practising and surround yourself with people you want to curl with. Find some friends, because you are with them a lot and curling teams are a small team,” she said.

“It’s just encouraging them to work hard on the ice and hopefully they love it and then they’ll want to keep curling.”

Sydney Galusha and Skauge are set to compete with their junior team at the New Holland Canadian U20 Curling Championships in PEI in late March.